Belt supporting and driving mechanism



. H. J. SIMMONS ETYAL 1,320,634

BELT SUPPORTING AND DRIVING MECHANISM Aug. 25, 1931 Filed April 18, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 p sub-war- 1 ATTORNEY? Aug. 25, 1931,. T. H. J. SIMMONS ET AL 1,320,534

BELT SUPPORTING AND DRIVING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 18, 1929 INVENTODS ATTORNEY T. H. J. SIMMONS ET AL 1,320,634

BELT SUPPORTING AND" DRIVING MECHANISM Aug. 25,1931.

"Filed'April 18, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOQS ATTOQNEY Aug. 25, 1931. T. H. J. SIMMONS ET AL 1,320,634

BELT SUPPORTING AND DRIVING MECHANISM Filed April 18, 1929 s Sheets-Shem 4 Q F s n n ll 0 =1 40 ll e E O A a H T n a I 15 H u I f 1 l n I A KMHM $2M fimwwcww INVENTORS Aug. 25, 1931.

T. H. J. SIMMONS ET A].

BELT SUPPORTING AND DRIVING MECHANISM Filed April 18.

1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 4AM My... 3 I/IFAAM WM dMMM-M- INVE NTORS ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 25, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THOMAS HUBER! JOHN SIMMONS, OF POTTERS BAR, AND FREDERICK WILLIAM BLACK- I BURNE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS, BY M ESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY BELT SUPPORTING AND DRIVING MECHANISM Application filed April 18, 1929, Serial No. 356,140, and in GreatBritain May 5, 1928.

This invention has reference to the moving hand-rails usually provided in conjunction with escalators and travelling platforms. It is usual in connection with such plants to provide. a flexible hand-rail member suitably guided upon rails or tracksand driven by friction means, such as is secured by the the motion to the-hand-rail by the usual frictional means.

The object of the present invention is to overcome these difficulties and to provide a supporting device (or devices) associated with the hand-rail which will not only reduce wear or prevent slip but may be employed to impart motion to the hand-rail or aid in imparting motion thereto.

According to the invention, while any suitable known means may be provided for positioning and guiding the hand-rail in its travel, it is supported or partially supported upon a series of rollers or balls mounted in a flexible element extending longitudinally within or beneath the hand-rail. By such an arrangement the rollers, in travelling along a bed, rotate or roll thereon,.and the handrail is supported on the upper side of the rotating surfaces'so that substantially no relative movement occurs other than that due to the rolling contact.

The flexible element preferably comprises an endless chain, the links of which may be connected by universal joint devices. The axes of the rollers may be located in the plane of the chain. I

Alternatively, the chain may be provided with upwardly projecting plates or members upon which the rollers are freely mounted, in

and also undue wear upon the inner or which case the chain is located beneath the bed for the rollers.

Further features of the invention will be hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation showing a moving hand-rail for a moving platform according drive therefor;

Figure 6 is an elevation showing a moving hand-rail according to the invention, ada ted to provide a common hand-rail for dup ex moving platforms;

Figure 7 is a corresponding plan;

Figures 8 and 9 are details to an enlarged scale of the roller-chain-support used in the construction shown in Figures 6 and 7;

Figure 10 is a section at 1010 of Figure Figure 11 is a section of a modified form of chain having'supportin rollers;

Figures 12 and 13 are diagrammatic elevation and plan of a modification of the type of hand rail support shown in Figure 1, m which the return lap of the hand-rail is supported upon the return lap of the chain;

Figure 14 is asection taken along the line 14-14 of Figure 12; and

Figure 15 is a diagrammatic elevation of a complete form of the modification shown in Figures 12, 13 and 14.

In carrying the invention into effect according to one convenient mode, by way of example, the'side frame of the platform or escalator is provided on its upper edge with a bed (extending the longitudinal length Figures 4 and 5 are details showing the arrangement of the roller-chain-support, and

between the hand-rail guides one lap of an endless chain is located. 1

The chain may consist of the usual links and spindles or transverse connectin pins and be universally jointed if desire and is provided at intervals throughout its length with freely revoluble rollers adapted to run on the bed referred to above. The size of the rollers should be such as to afford support for the under side of the hand-rail between the guides. Near the extremities of the platform or escalator in some suitable covered position, the chain is passed around a chain wheel which is provided with recesses or teeth for the purpose of driving the chain and may have pockets for accommodating the rollers. The other lap of the chain to that which runs on the bed may be returned in any convenient manner, for example, it could be arranged to travel independently of the hand-rail, or it could be arranged to support and impart motion to the hand-rail on its return path. In the latter case, the hand-rail drive rollers may be made of fibre or rubber, to avoid damage to the rubber surface of the hand-rail.

In cases where a common hand-rail element is used for two adjacent moving latforms, sections of both the forward an return paths of the hand-rail would be exposed and the hand-rail rollers would be arranged to engage with the underside of the hand-rail in both sections.

The hand-rail which may be of the usual canvas and rubber type having turned-over edges for the purpose of engaging the guides, may be positioned so that the curved edges fit over the hand-rail guides and so that the underside of the intermediate portion rests upon the tops of the rollers.

I The hand-rail may be lapped around the usual guide pulley or driving drum (or pulleys or drums) and may or may not be given an actual driving motion to cause it to travel at the required s eed. When the hand-rail is not driven by t e frictional means the arrangement is such that the drive is communicated therethrough by the rollers of the chain.

Where the hand-rail is independently frictionally driven the chain is driven so that it travels at half the speed at which the band-rail travels while, similarly, when no inde ndent drive is communicated to the han -rail the chain is driven at half the speed at which it is desired that the handrail should travel and the rolling contact of the rollers impart the drive to the handrail at twice the speed of the chain. It will therefore be appreciated that in either case there is substantially no relative motion or slip between the hand-rail and the rollers, nor between the latter and the track.

It will be observed that not only do the rollers act as a frictionless support for the hand-rail but they may wholly or partially assist in the communication of motion thereto.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 5, a longitudinally extending channel member is provided for the upper run 17 of the moving hand-rail and has laterally extending guides 16 for laterally guiding the hand-rail. The channel member also provides a bed for supporting rollers 18 which are adapted to support the movin hand-rail by contact with the inner straight part as will be seen from Figure 3. The supporting rollers 18 are freely mounted upon a chain 19, the rollers being mounted at the middle of links 20 (see Figure 5) which at one end are bent inwardly so as to lie within the plates of the adjacent link, to which it is connected on an axis parallel to the axis of the roller 18. Any other suitable form of chain may be provided, such as a chain comprising inner and outer links.

At the hinging axis between the links, rollers 21 are provided by which the chain is driven by the chain wheel 22, the rollers 21 being adapted to engage in the tooth spaces between the pairs of teeth 23 which pairs are spaced apart to provide recesses 2 1 in the chain wheel for accommodating the supporting rollers 18. The chain wheels 22 are mounted in a vertical or substantially vertical plane near the ends of the travel of the hand-rail'and the return lap of the rollerchain-support 19 is supported by a channel member 25 which may be mounted in anyconvenient manner.

The position of the chain wheels 22 is such as to cause the chain support to enter the guide way 15 through an aperture formed in the horizontal web or base thereof, and to receive the chain through a similar aperture 126 at the leading or driving end of the support, as shown in Figure 4.

The chain wheels 22 are mounted upon suitable supports 26, that at the leading end of the chain being preferably mounted in an adjustable manner, for example, by mounting the spindle in slots 27 suitable screw or other means may be provided whereby the adjustment may be made.

The hand-rail at its ends passes around a friction driving wheel 28 and an idler wheel 29. The return lap of the hand-railis provided with a looped part 30 wh ch passes around a friction drive wheel 31 and a handrail tightening wheel 32 whereby the tension in the hand-rail may be adjusted as becomes necessary. The tightening-wheel 32 may be mounted in suitably guided bearings and may be provided with screw means whereby the tightening may be effected. The wheel 32 is mounted upon an inclined axis whereby the adjacent parts of the return lap may be located in different planes.

The drive to the hand-rail and also the roller-chain-support is effected from a drivchain-support ing shaft 33 by means of a chain 34 which ens gages a sprocket 35 on the spindle of the friction drive wheel 28, then passes around an adjustable idler sprocket 36 to a sprocket 37, on the drivin chain wheel for the rollerchain-support. The chain 34 then passes around a sprocket 38 on the friction drive wheel 31.

By suitably choosing the diameters of the driving s rockets 35, 37, 38 in accordance with the diameters of the corresponding friction drive wheels and, chain wheel, the lineal speed of the hand-rail relatively to therolleris arranged in the ratio of 2-1.

The return lap of the hand-rail between the friction drive wheel 31 and the idler wheel 29 is su ported by means of a beaded plate 39 which engages -in the turned over portions of the hand-rail.

Referring now to Figures 6 to 10 which illustrate the invention as applied to a handrail adapted to provide common hand-rail members for duplex moving platforms 40, 41 the roller-ehain-support is mounted generally in a horizontal plane so that both laps 42 and 43 may be locatedbeneath and to support the corresponding laps 44 and 45 of the moving hand-rail. Each lap of the chain is adapted to move within a guide 15 having beaded flanges 16 for laterally guiding the hand-rail. In this form of the invention the chain is provided with universal jointed ,de-

vices whereby the links may move relatively to one another in two planes, i. e. when the chain is turned downwardly and also when it passes around the chain wheel. Thus, re-

ferring to Figures 8 and 9, the supporting rollers 18 are mounted between plates 46 which are hinged on axes parallel to the axis of the roller 18 to links 47 47 a which in turn are hinged together by a spindle 48 the axis of which is at right angles to the axis of the roller 18. g

On the axis 48 rollers 49 are mounted which engage the working teeth of chain wheel 50 which teeth are spaced apart in pairs to provide recesses 51 to accommodate the rollers 18 and-links 46 as shown in Figure 9.

The driving chain wheel 50 and idler chain wheel 52 for the roller-chain-support are mounted on inclined. axes so that the ends of the chain are brought below the plane containing the laps 44, 45. of the hand-rail. The roller-chain-support enters and leaves the guideway 15 through gaps formed by cutting out a section 53 of the web and bending such section downwardly as indicated in Figure 8. Both laps of the hand -rail are frictionally driven by thefriction drive wheels 54, 55 arranged at one end of the platform or the like'while at the other end a horizontally or otherwise disposed idler wheel 56 is provided. The other end of the hand-rail extends inwardly and around a tightening wheel 57 having suitable screw tightening means whereby the hand-rail may be kept inthe necessary taut condition.

The friction drive wheel 54 is driven by a chain 58 from a driving shaft 59 by a sprocket 60, the drive to the other friction wheel 55 (Figure 7) being effected through bevelled gear 61, 62, 63 whereby the two driving wheels 54, 55 operate at the same speed but in opposite sense. The bevelled pinion 62 is mounted upon one end of a shaft 64 having at its other end a bevelled whdel 65 engaging a bevelled wheel 66 mounted upon the spindle of the chain wheel 50 whereby the drive is imparted to the roller-chainsupport. The gear ratio is selected so that the correct lineal speeds of the hand-rail and the roller-chain-support are obtained. The necessary adjustment ofthe roller-chainsupport is effected by mounting the idler chain wheel 52 upon sliding bearings 67 which is adjusted by suitable screw means 68.

Figure 11 shows a modified form of chain in which a pair of rollers 69 is provided, freely mounted upon a plate 70 connected in a suitable manner to the links'of the chain 71. The rollers 69 are adapted to roll upon beds formed by independent angular guide members 72 which are spaced apart to provide a slot through which the plates 70 project whilst the chain is located within a boxlike support 73. By such an arrangement the dimensions of the chain may be considerably greater than in the previously de scribed modifications so that a more robust chain may be used.

In the form diagrammatically illustrated in Figures 12 and 13, ,(which form is somewhat more completely, diagrammatically, at one or both ends of the travel of the handrail, loops 74 are provided, each of which accommodates a friction wheel 75 andan idler tightening wheel 76. The wheels 75 such diameter that the main portion of the return lap 77 of the hand-rain is adapted to be brought above the return lap 7'8 of the roller chain-support which purpose may be provided with spacing wheels 79 whereby the distance between the laps is suitably arranged. In such a case the hand-rail is supported upon the rollers 18 which now contact with the outside surface of the hand-rail as indicated in Figure. 14. In order to avoid injury to, the hand-rail the rollers may be made of fibre or rubber.

The wheels 7 5 are mounted lane containing the roller-chain-supports, while each wheel 76 and the adjacent end wheel 80 are inclined so that the short return laps81 are .locatedin a plane out of the plane of the main return lap and the roller-chainsupport. The drive to the hand-rail and also to the roller-chain-support may be effected from a drive shaft 82 by means of a latter for this but nevertheless still illustrated in Figure 15,)

are mounted at such anelevation or are of in the vertical chain 83 in a manner similar to that described for the modification of Figures 1 to 5 inclusive.

Although the above description more particularly refers to hand-rails as used with escalators and moving platforms it is to be understood that. the invention is not limited to such. but may also be applied to traveling belts. conveyors and the like.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same' is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is 1. In combination, an endless belt arranged for movement over a stationary bed, a plurality of connected rollersrolling on said bed and interposed between said belt and said bed for supporting said belt, and a wheel rotatable about a fixed axis and frictionally engaging said belt for driving the same.

2. In combination, an endless belt arranged for movement over a stationary bed, a plurality of rollers rolling on said bed and interposed between said belt and said bed for sup porting said belt, flexible means connecting the axes of said rollers to form an endless se ies thereof, means engaging said flexible means to effect a drive for said rollers, and, by the resulting rolling of the rollers on said bed and their rolling contact with said belt, to thereby apply a driving force to said belt, and a wheel rotatable about a fixed axis and frictionally engagingsaid belt for directly and independently applying a driving force to said belt.

3. In combination, a hand-rail arranged for movement along a stationary guide, a plurality of rollers rolling on said guide and interposed between the underside of said hand-rail and said guide for supporting said hand-rail, linkages connecting the rollers to form an endless series thereof, means adapted to impart longitudinal motion to said endless series of rollers, and means to actuate said motion-imparting means so as to cause said motion of said series at a certain speed, said speed being one-half that of said hand-rail.

4. Incombination, an endless belt arranged for movement over a stationary bed, a plurality of rollers rolling on-s'lid bed and interposed between said belt and said bed for supporting said belt, flexible means connecting the axes of said rollers to form an endless series thereof, rotatable means engaging said flexible means to effect a drive for said rollers, a wheel rotatable about a fixed axis and frictionallv engaging said belt for directly applying a riving force to said belt, and common driving means for said rotatable means and said wheel, said common driving means being arranged so that the rotatable means imparts a longitudinal linear speed to the series of rollers of substantially one-half that which the wheel imparts to the endless belt.

5. In combination. a hand-rail arranged for movement along a stationary guide, an endless chain interposed between the stationary guide and the underside of the handrail, said chain pivotally mounting aplurality of rollers each of suflicient size to engage the underside of the handrail on one side of the chain and to engage the guide on the other side of the chain, a sprocket wheel engaging the chain, a wheel frictionally engaging the underside of the hand-rail, and common driving means for said sprocket and said friction wheel, said driving means being arranged so that the longitudinal linear motion imparted to the chain by the sprocket wheel is substantially one-half that imparted to the hand-rail by the friction wheel.

I 6. In combination, an endless belt arranged for movement over a stationary bed, a plurality of rollers rolling on said bed and interposed between said belt and said bed for supporting said belt, a chain connecting said rollers to form an endless flexible series ofsaid rollers, a sprocket engaging said chain, means for rotating said sprocket to drive said chain and adapted, by the rolling contact of the rollers with the belt along the stationary bed, to impart motion to the belt, and an additional means separate from said rollers adapted to directly impart mo tion to said belt.

7. In combination, a movable hand-rail having turned-over edges, a stationary guide for said hand-rail, said guide having flanges over which fit the turned-over edges so as to prevent the hand-rail from being lifted from the guide, and a plurality of connected rollers rollingon said guide and interposed between the portion of the hand-rail intermediate the edges and the guide for supporting the hand-rail.

8. In combination; a stationary handrail guide; an endless handrail arranged for movement along said guide, said handrail having turned-over edges and said guide having flanges over which fit said turned-over edges so as to prevent said handrail from being lifted from said guide; a handrail wheel at each end of said stationary guide around each of which said handrail travels; an endless chain with a plurality of enlarged rollers mounted thereon positioned between said handrail and said guide so that said enlarged rollers roll on said guide and support the handrail intermed'ate the edges thereof; and two sprocket wheels for said chain, one sprocket wheel being mounted be tween said handrail wheels and nearer one thereof so that said chain is curved into its position between said handrail and said guide after said handrail leaves said one handrail wheel in its travel toward the other handrail wheel, and the other sprocket wheel being mounted between said handrail wheels and nearer the other thereof so that said chain is curved out of its position between said handa rail and said guide before said handrail reaches said other handrail wheel in its travel toward such other handrail wheel.

9. In combination; a stationary handrail guide an endless handrail arranged for movement along said guide, said handrail having turned-over edges and said guide having flanges over which fit said turned-over edges so as topreventsaid handrail from being lifted from said guide; a vertical handrail wheel at each end of said stationary guide around each of which said handrail travels; an endless chain with a plurality of enlarged rollers mounted thereon positioned between said handrail and said guide so thatsaid enlarged rollers roll on said guide and support the handrail intermediate the edges thereof; two vertical sprocket wheels for said chain, one sprocket wheel being mounted between said handrail wheels and nearer one thereof so that said chain is curved upwardly into its position between said handrail and said guide after said handrail leaves said one handrail wheel in its travel toward the other handrail wheel, and the other sprocket Wheel being mounted between said handrail wheels and nearer the other thereof so that said chain is curved downwardly out of its position between said handrail and said guide before said handrail reaches said other handrail wheel in its travel toward such other handrail wheel; and common driving means for one of said handrail wheels and the chain sprocket nearer thereto operable to drive said chain at one-half the speed of said handrail 10. In combination; a stationary handrail guide; an endless handrail having an upper run and a return run, with the upper run thereof arranged for movement along said uide, said handrail having turned-over edges and saidguide having flanges over which fit said turned-over edges so as to prevent said handrail along said upper run from being lifted from said guide; a vertical handrail wheel at eachend of said stationary guide around each of which said handrail travels; an endless chain with a plurality of enlarged rollers mounted thereon positioned between said handrail and said guide so that said enlarged rollers roll on said guide and support the handrail along the upper run intermediate the edges of said handrail: two vertical sprocket wheels vfor said chain, one sprocket wheel being mounted between said handrail wheels and nearer one thereof so that said chain is curved upwardly into its position between said handrail and said guide after said handrail leaves said one handrail wheel in its travel along the upper run toward the other handrail wheel, and the other sprocket wheel being mounted between said handrail wheels and nearer the other thereof so that said chain is curved clownwardly out of its position between said handrail and said guide before said handrail 'reaches said other handrail wheel in its travel along the upper run toward such other handrail Wheel, thereby forming an upper run-of said chain; means for' supporting the return run of said chain comprising a bed over which roll the enlar rollers of said chain; and means for guiding the return run of said handrail upon said return run of said chain so that the return run of said handrail rests upon the enlarged rollers in the return run of said chain.

11. In combination; a stationary handrail guide; an endless handrail having an upper run and a return run, with the u per run thereof arranged for movement a ong said guide, said handrail having turned-over edges and said guide having flanges over which fit said turned-over edges so as to prevent said handrail along said upper run from being lifted from said guide; a vertical handrail wheel at each end of said stationary guide around each of which said handrail travels; an endless chain with a plurality of enlarged rollers mounted thereonpositioned between said handrail and said guide so that so enlarged rollers roll on said guide and support the handrail along the upper run intermediate the edges of said handrail; two vertical sprocket wheels for said chain, one sprocket wheel being mounted between said handrail wheels and nearer one thereof so that said chain is curved upwardly into its posit-ion between said handrail and said guide after said handrail leaves said one handrail wheel in its travel along the upper run toward the other handrail wheel, and the other sprocket wheel being mounted between said handrail wheels and nearer the other thereof so that said chain is curved downwardly out of its position between said handrail and said guide before said handrail reaches said other handrail wheel in its travel along the upper run toward such other handrail wheel, thereby forming an upper run of said chain; means for supporting the return run of said chain comprising a bed over which rolls the enlarged rollers of said chain; means for guiding the return run of said handrail upon said return run of said chain so that the outer face of said handrail rests upon the enlarged rollers in the return run of said chain; and common driving means for one of said handrail wheels and the chain sprocket nearer thereto operable to drive said chain at one-half the speed ofsaid handrail.

12. In combination; two adjacent handrails of two adjacent moving Stairways or platforms operable in opposite directions;

a hand-rail guide for each of said handless chain'fiexible in two planes at substantially right angles to each other and havinga plurality of enlarged' rollers mounted thereon with the axes of all of said enlarged rollers perpendicular to one of said two I planes, said chain having a portion thereof 7 positioned :between the hand-rail for one moving stairway or platform and its associate ed hand-rail guide and having another portion thereof positioned between the handrail for the other moving stairway or platform and its associated hand-rail guide, so that in each instance where the chain is posi- 'tioned between a hand-rail and its stationrail while such end loop of chain reverses its direction of movement and then to guide the chain upinto the path of W the other hand-rail and up into its position between such hand-rail and the associated hand-rail guide. I

13. Hand-rail equipment for the adjacent hand-rails of two adjacent, but oppositely or platform and forguiding it operated, moving stairways or platforms, said equipment comprising; a stationary hand-rail ide for each stairway or platform; a single endless hand-rail element having aportion thereofarranged for movement' in one direction. over one guide and another-portion thereof arranged for movement' in the other direction over the other stairway or platform; then, after such elm loop of chain has reversedits direction of movement, to guide the chain up into the path of the portion of thehand-rail element. serving as the hand-rail for the other stair et wheel operable to drive said chain at one half the speed of said hand-rail element.

14. In combination; 'a hand-rail arranged for movement along a stationary guide; a plurality of rollers rolling on said guide and interposed between the underside of said hand-rail and said guide for supporting said hand-rail, said guide having a longitudinal slot therein; an endless chain having a portion thereof extending parallel to said handrail and positioned below said stationary guide; means, extending'through said longitudinal slot, connecting the axes of said rollers to said chain; and means. adapted to drive said chain at a speed which is one-half of the speed of said hand-rail.

In testimony whereof, wehave signed our names to this specification.

THOMAS HUBERT JOHN SlMMONS. FREDERICK WILLIAM BLACKBURNE.

guide; hand-rail wheels positioned adja- I cent each end of said moving stairways or platforms for removing the hand-rail element from service with one stairway service with the other stairway or platform; an endless chain flexible in two planes at substantially right angles to each other and having a plurality of enlarged rollin to ers mounted thereon with the axes of all of 1 said rollers perpendicular to one of said two planes, said chain having a portion thereof positioned between the hand-rai1 guide and the associated portion of the hand-rail element for one moving stairway or platform,

and having another portion thereof position'ed between the hand-rail guide and the associated portion of the hand-rail element for the other moving stairway or platform; so that in each instance where the chain is positioned between the hand-rail element and the associated hand-rail guide, the enlarged rollersof said chain roll longitudinally on the guide and support the hand-rail 

